Most home coffee making methods utilizing percolator process or drip process to extract coffee from coffee grounds. In the case of the percolator the water flows upwardly through a stand pipe and over the bed of ground coffee where the process lasts for selected, usually short, period of time. The boiling water is forced upwardly through the standpipe and flows quickly through the bed of coursely ground coffee which is particularly inefficient method in that a large quantity of the coffee essence remains after the percolation process is completed.
Also water used in the percolation process at the boiling temerature and is warmer than required. Secondly the coffee is brewed is recycled through the bed of coffee grounds which decreases the effeciency of the extraction process and the excessive heating of the brewed coffee diminishes the favorable characteristics of the brew. Additionally, in most percolation processes the finer grinds of the coarse coffee in end up in the final product further detracting from the desirability of the product.
In drip grind arrangements a finer ground coffee is utilized and a paper filter is provided where the coffee flows one time through the bed of coffee. Because of the procedure utilized in many instances the temperature of the water used in the extraction process can be lower than 212.degree. F.; therefore a better brew is obtain. Additionally, coffee is not recycled through the bed and the quality is better. Additionally, the finer grounds are retained within the paper filter so that the product is of a better quality.
Even in the case of drip process coffee making the efficient provision of a one cup yield is difficult to obtain.
Several procedures have been developed to provide one cup, or low yield for preparation of one cup of coffee at a time. U.S. Pat. No. 1,546,434 teaches a receptacle with a plate and foraminous disc which allows coffee to be poured in from the top and pulled by gravity through the coffee and the disc into the cup below. U.S. Pat. No. 1,456,010 discloses a one cup coffee maker including a plate which acts as a water spreader to distribute water over the area of the bed of coffee and to hold the coffee with sufficient tightness in the chamber to prevent particles from floating and moving about as the water is percolating through the flat paper. U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,878 teaches a coffee maker with a cylindrical type brewing chamber to receive a bag of coffee which allows the coffed to be emitted therefrom by gravity flow. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,060 discloses a coffee maker where a second piece is removed from the first portion for disposal of the coffee and washing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,479 teaches use of a metal wire mesh having 25 micron aperatures used with coffee inlets slots to control flow of coffee through a coffee maker. U.S. Pat. No. 1,889,543 teaches a coffee maker using a porous disc where hot water is poured into the top of the device and flows through the bed of coffee received on the disc.
British patent No. 338,126 teaches another arrangement utilizing a porous disc as German patent No. 390,351 and 1,122,057. U.S. Pat. No. 1,122,057, 1,113,920, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,965,750 teache other arrangements utilizing a ? disc and hold down device. U.S. Pat. No. 1,885,666 teaches an arrangement utilizing another disc arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,470 and 3,354,812 teach other arrangements.
None of the foregoing prior art reference teaches or even remotely suggest an arrangement as provided in the subject invention much less an arrangement which is particularly useful in connection with the brewing of coffee utilizing water heated in a microwave device.